Easy Crab Pasta
Easy crab pasta is a creamy, flavorful seafood dinner that combines creamy, decadent pasta with sweet crab meat. Ready in about 20 minutes, this recipe is quick enough for busy weeknights but feels fancy enough for date nights at home or easy entertaining.
You ever make a meal that tastes like a million bucks but it’s actually so easy?
That’s this easy crab pasta.
It’s a recipe I keep in my back pocket for nights when I want to cook to impress without actually doing a lot of work.
It feels a little fancy thanks to the sweet crab meat and creamy, rich, almost alfredo style sauce with hints of brightness.
Better yet?
It’s easy as could be to make.
20 minutes and a dish worthy of any celebration is ready!
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need:
- Pasta– Use a wider pasta like fettuccine.
- Butter
- Garlic– Fresh garlic, minced or pressed.
- Flour– To make a roux and thicken the sauce.
- Half and half– You could also use heavy cream. I strongly discourage you from substituting milk though as it will not be as silky.
- Cheese– Shredded Parmesan.
- Spices– Lightly crushed dried tarragon, salt, and pepper.
- Lemon zest– For that brightness.
- Crab meat– 8 ounces of lump crab meat, drained. For best results, use the kind you can find in the refrigerated seafood case. For a more affordable indulgence, use the canned lump crab you can find near the canned tuna.
- Fresh parsley– For garnish
How to Make
This creamy crab pasta is so easy to make!
Just cook the pasta to al dente according to the box instructions.
Once the pasta is done, drain it, rinse it with cold water and set it aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat.
When the butter has melted, add the garlic and saute it for 30 seconds to release the fragrance.
As soon as the garlic is fragrant, whisk the flour into the melted butter, stirring until it forms a pasty consistency.
Whisk in the half and half slowly, stirring constantly, until everything’s evenly incorporated.
Bring the sauce to a low simmer.
Once it simmers, stir in cheese until everything is completely melted and smooth.
Stir in the rest of the seasonings and remove the skillet from heat.
Gently toss the pasta and crab with the sauce until the pasta is well coated with the sauce.
Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat in the microwave or on a skillet over medium heat on the stove, thinning out the sauce with a little half and half if needed.
Tips and Tricks
- If the sauce is too thick, add an extra splash of half and half to thin it out some.
- You can make this same pasta using shrimp or a mixture of shrimp and crab if you like.
- If you time it right, you can make the sauce while you make the pasta. Start melting the butter right when you put the noodles into boil and noodles should be ready to go right around when the sauce is done.
Other Easy Seafood Recipes
Easy crab pasta is a decadent, Alfredo style dish perfect for making dinner at home feel like a special occasion.
Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other easy seafood recipes?
Try these:
- Seafood Salad
- Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil
- Cornbread Stuffing Crab Cakes
- Canned Salmon Pasta Salad
- Shrimp & Rice Casserole
- Quick & Easy Tuna Patties
- Teriyaki Tilapia Casserole
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Easy Creamy Crab Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz fettuccini pasta
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 1/2 cups half & half
- 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried tarragon lightly crushed
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- salt & pepper to taste
- 8 oz lump crab meat drained
- fresh parsley leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta per the box instrcutions for 'al dente'. Drain, rinse with cold water, then set aside.8 oz fettuccini pasta
- Add the butter to a large skillet set over medium heat. Once hot add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.2 tbsp butter, 2 cloves garlic
- Whisk in the flour until evenly combined. Slowly pour the half and half in, whisking constantly, until evenly incorporated.1 tbsp flour, 1 1/2 cups half & half
- Bring the sauce to a low simmer, then add the cheese, stirring until it's completely melted and smooth.1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Add the rest of the seasonings, stirring to evenly incorporated. Remove the skillet from heat.1 tsp dried tarragon, 1 tsp lemon zest, salt & pepper
- Add the pasta and crab to the skillet, gently tossing until well coated with the sauce.8 oz lump crab meat
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- If the sauce is too thick, add an extra splash of half and half to thin it out some.
- You can make this same pasta using shrimp or a mixture of shrimp and crab if you like.
- If you time it right, you can make the sauce while you make the pasta. Start melting the butter right when you put the noodles into boil and noodles should be ready to go right around when the sauce is done.
Nutrition
